Gasket



M. D. FITZGERALD 1,935,552

GASKET Filed Aug. 4, 1932 I 2 Sheets-Sheet l Wg 1 g W' Nav. 14-, 1933- M. D. FITZGERALD 1,935,552

I GASKET Filed Aug. 4, 1952 I 2 Shegts-Sheet 2 Hum Patented Nov. 14, 1933 GASKET Martin D. Fitzgerald, Torrington, Conn, assignor to The Fitzgerald Mfg. Company, Torrington,

Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application August 4, 1932. Serial No. 627,507

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to grommets and method of making the same, and particularly grommets of large size and having an irregular contour for binding the edges around the cylinder openings of an automobile head gasket.

The present invention has for its object the novel manufacture of grommets, especially those of the regular shapes or contours of small and large sizes, in a very cheap and economical manner.

With the above and other objects in view, some of which will be further stated and others obvious, the invention resides in the novel method of producing and novel structure of grommets, as will appear from the following detail description and as specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a strip of material from which the grommet is produced;

Figure 2 is an edge view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an edge view showing the second step in producing the grommet;

Figure 4 is a side view of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an edge view of the strip after the third step of shaping the grommet;

Figure 6 is a view showing the strip after the fourth step of fianging the grommet;

Figure 7 is a side view of Figure 6;

30 Figure 8 is a fragmental plan view of a cylinder head gasket for engines having the grommet of the present invention applied;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary detail view showing the respective ends of the strip separated;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional view through the joint between the ends of the strip as shown in Figure 7;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary sectional view through the finished grommet and a portion of the gasket after the same has been applied thereto.

In carrying the present invention into practice, an elongated strip 10 of malleable material, such as copper or the like, is out from a sheet by any approved means. This strip 10 may be of a length substantially that of the perimeter of an opening, the edges of which the grommet is to bind, suitable allowance being made for a slight overlapping at its 'end portions; and the width 0 of the strip may be that sufficient to extend around and over opposite sides of the edge of the opening to be bound in a manner well understood in the art. This strip 10 has one end formed with a reduced tongue portion 11 and its other end formed with an offset loop 12 formed by two parallel slits extending transversely of the strip, into which loop or offset the tongue 11 is to be inserted. The tongue 11 in the offset portion 12 may be formed at the same time the strip 10 is cut.

The next step of the process of manufacture of the present invention is to bring the end portions of the strip in an overlapping relation with a the tongue 11 extending into the offset 12 and fastening these ends together, preferably by pressure, thus offsetting a portion of the tongue 11 into the plane of the opening formed by the loop 12 and pressing said offset or loop portion 12 tightly against the tongue 11, resulting in an interlocking binding engagement of the two ends of the strip producing a ring 1', as clearly shown in Figure 3.

The next step of the process is to shape the ring r, shown in Figure 3, to substantially the outline or contour of the opening to which it is to be applied. In the showing in Figure 8 the grommets of the present invention are shown as being applied to the edges 13 of cylinder openings 14 of an automobile head gasket 15 and, therefore, in Figure 3 the grommet is shown as being fashioned to a shape corresponding to the edges 13 of the gasket 15. This shape may be accomplished by the use of shaping dies and in any other suitable manner.

After shaping the ring 7 in the manner shown in Figure 3, it is flanged at one circumferential edge, by any suitable means, in such a manner that said edge extends laterally from the ring 1'. In the present showing, this flange 16 extends laterally outwardly withrespect to the body of strip 10 as it is to bind the edges of an opening.

After this operation, it will be seen that the formation of the grommet has progressed to the point where it consists of an endless strip of metal fashioned to the shape of the opening or object which is to bind and having a laterally extending circumferential edge. The grommet is then inserted in an opening 14 so that the flange 16 will lie against one face of the gasket or the like and the major portion of the strip 10 forming the ring. r extending through the opening and the other circumferential edge 17 projecting beyond the opposite side face of the gasket. This projecting edge 17 is then bent around the edge opening 13 and against the adjacent face of the body or gasket 15 to provide a flange corresponding to flange 16. This operation may be done by a die press or by hammering or by any other suitable or approved means, which will tightly bind the flanged portions 16 and 17 of the grommet to the within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A laminated gasket having an opening therein. a grommet about the edges of said opening, said grommet comprising a strip of metal having a tongue on one end and an oiiset loop portion at its other end into which said tongue is inserted and secured; said strip having its marginal edge portions bent to form flanges engaging opposite sides of the gasket adjacent said opening for binding the edge of the opening.

MARTIN D. FITZGERALD. 

